Thuram urges French public to vote in election

France striker Marcus Thuram expressed his concern on Saturday about the rise of the Rassemblement National, the country’s right-wing populist party, before the election at the end of the June.

Thuram said he wanted to transmit a message of unity and urged the public to vote in order to deny the political party’s rise and attempt to win the upcoming general election.

The Rassemblement National received 31.4% of the country’s votes in last weekend’s European Union elections, the largest share of all French parties, prompting President Emmanuel Macron to unexpectedly dissolve the country’s parliament and call a snap poll.

“The situation is very, very serious,” Thuram said in a news conference on Saturday. “We were all shocked in the dressing room after the game against Canada last weekend when we saw the results [of the European elections].

“It is the sad reality of our society today. Everyday on television in France there are messages to help this party being successful.”

The Inter Milan forward added his voice to that of Ousmane Dembélé, who on Thursday called for greater political participation in the country in the wake of Macron’s announcement.

Thuram, whose father Lilian, a former France international and World Cup winner himself, went further than Dembélé and called specifically for French people to vote against the right-wing party of Marine Le Pen. Le Pen is the daughter of Jean-Marie, who founded the Rassemblement National and has been convicted of contesting crimes against humanity.

“We have to tell everyone to go and vote. As citizens, you or me, we have to fight to stop the Rassemblement National winning,” Thuram, 26, said. “Everyone has to do what is right. I am standing in front of you and I am saying things as they are.”